Relax yourself on Negombo Beach, Sri Lanka
For the perfect mix of beach paradise and cultural charm, head for tranquil Negombo Beach on Sri Lanka’s central west coast. After a day relaxing on this quiet stretch of sand, wander round the pretty town that still has architectural remnants of its Dutch colonial past. Nowadays in Sri Lanka fishing is the way of life for the Karavas, the local people of Negombo, who sail in these beautiful outrigger canoes! The Negombo Beach is a great place to spend a week of relax, a charming atmosphere involves all the people from abroad. You want to try this incredible experience pack your suitcase and book online an hotel in Sri Lanka! What do you need is a swimming trunks or a bikini and a confortable accommodation that you can book before in a Sri Lanka hotel!
Italy: The New Rome Fair
Rome has its share in international fairs. It has a big fair center which hosts important events and trade shows that take place all year round. Today I’ll give you a short hint about the New Rome fair which is Situated near Fiumicino village, a place just outside the city and very near to the Leonardo da Vinci Airport (Rome’s most important international airport). The New Rome Fair is so called because it has been there only for a couple of years. It has been renewed and inaugurated on April 21st, 2006. Although it is not yet completed, the New Rome Fair was designed to function in a futuristic and oversized environment. When you visit it nowadays, you can see hundreds of pavilions, elevators and escalators which are all made of steel, crystal and modern recyclable building materials. Also, the fair has conference centers with big halls and more than a dozen of restaurants extending throughout a total surface of 920,000 square meters. The New Rome fair hosts many events and exhibitions, acting as a link between services and customers. The events and exhibitions are not confined to one field of business, they vary between IT, high-tech, tourism, home-living, food, automotive, etc. The most important events yearly showing into the New Rome Fair are: Casa Idea, Moa Casa, Globe2010, Big Blu, Eudi Show, The famous exhibitions of interior decoration and furnishings. Arti & Mestieri Expo This is dedicated to all handicraft lovers who take it as a job or a hobby.
New York know the fraud!
While I was surfing the net, I found a strange story that happened to a man visiting New York for the first time. It all started when he arrived at the JFK New York Airport (one of the 3 found in NY) yet I don’t think it’s a Kennedy curse! It can just happen to anyone visiting a new place..
Anyway..
He said he arrived at JFK (That’s short for Kennedy Airport) at around 1:30 p.m., and after the usual long airports procedures he and his friends were out at last. Reaching for the transportation desk (where they could find some guiding about places and stuff) a man stopped them and asked if they need a taxi (New York yellow cabs) , and they said no because they were expecting a ride from the previously-booked famous tourism company. After a while, another man came and asked them the same question, they then told him what they were expecting and mentioned the company name.
For their surprise, the man took out a card with the company name and some details underneath, and asked them to follow him to the park. The tourist felt a little uneasy about it, specially that a professional company driver won’t start asking about their taxi in New York needs rather than their target company!
More strangely, when they reached the park they found a car awaiting them not a bus! This was the time that the tourist insisted to see an ID card of the claimed driver, the thing which the claimed driver refused to do for reasons they couldn’t buy. So they apologized to him and went back to the desk where they found a large sign explaining how legal it is to offer a taxi ride in this area (where the desk is)!
I can’t really expect what could have happened if they went on with that guy, but it’s good to warn everybody visiting New York about this I guess. You can always find a trustable guide at the transportation desk, unless you’ll have someone to pick you up!
Journey to Wien Austria
The wonder nestles in the center of Wien and can be spotted from anywhere owing to its colorful and scintillating beauty. The vast expanse of the palace of Hofburg in Wien is another ethnic piece of architectural excellence. As you travel through the palace, which is a small town in itself, you will find the office of the Austrian president, an international conference centre, a number of museums, the chapel where the Wien Boys’ Choir sings and the hall in which the Lipizzan stallions perform. You would love to take your family to this rather new museum of The Sisi Museum which was opened on the diamond jubilee of the wedding of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph. One cannot afford to miss the Leopold Museum in Wien, a must for anyone interested in Austrian art.
Austria is not only this much. You will know more once you tour the place yourself. The exciting fun in this city of art awaits your presence heartily. Happy journey!
New York, where to go shopping?
For everyone visiting New York, it’s a must to know where to go shopping. Whether for your at-the-moment needs or to buy souvenirs, you have to know where to go in the big city of New York .
The nice thing about New York is there are some districts specialized in certain goods, so you can save a lot of time if you have something particular in mind and you know the place where it can be found.
For example, if you are aiming for books, go straight to Fourth Avenue particularly between 9th and 14th Streets where 2 huge book stores are present. One of them is called ‘Strand’ and you can not find less than 8 miles of book shelves there! In the same street you can find other smaller book stores specialized in some domains like art and science.
But in case you are looking for brand names, then you should go to the next Avenue which’s Fifth Avenue which includes 10 streets from 49th Street to 59th Street. There you can find the world-wide famous brand names like Gucci, Lord & Tailor and Cartier. Also, the place is very vibrant in Christmas with all the Christmas displays. In case you get tired of shopping there, you can reach for the Central park entrance gate at 59th Street and have a little rest!
Alexanderplatz
The Emperor Alexander I of Russia visited Berlin in 1805: in honor of his visit we the Berliners named one square of their city Alexanderplatz. Once a cattle market, Alexanderplatz became a major commercial centre with a public market at the end of the XIX century.
During the 1960s Alexanderplatz was enlarged as part of the German Democratic Republic projects. After the reunification the surrounding buildings underwent a consistent renovation that is still ongoing.
In 2007, the Alexa shopping mall with some 180 stores was inaugurated.
In Alexanderplatz area we also find some historic buildings such as the Red City hall (Rotes Rathaus), traditional seat of Berlin government.
Events in Ireland
The Irish have some of the best events in the world happening all through the year. The Best events in Ireland is the World Rally Championship. This event will be held in Belfast and a number of other countries across Ireland. The dates for this event are January 29 to February 1 and thousands of people will be in attendance at each stage of the championship. If you like cars that go fast and drivers that show great skill then this is the event for you. The locations chosen for this event are some of the Ireland’s most splendid countryside. You may to join the driver for a run at each stage. One of the more popular festivals in Ireland is the St. Patrick’s Festival which is hosted on March 13-17. Held in Dublin this festival is an official celebration and it commemorates a national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Although the celebrations are held throughout the country, the one in Dublin stands out as the best of them all. There are walking parades, parties and other spectacles. This is a joyous time across the mostly catholic country and many visitors have a great time at the festival so much so they keep coming back year after year. If you are a lover of the sea and maritime events and history then the Celtic European Festival of the Sea is a must see for you. Held in various locations across the country it celebrates Irelands maritime heritage. There will be many sailing crafts and row boats and competitions held. This is really good fun.
Music Festival in Denmark
Another great event to see when you visit Denmark is the Spot Festival. This festival is an annual one and will run from June 1-30 in Aarhus. It is a music programme and it features some of Denmark’s and the wider Scandinavia’s newest and most talented bands. Visitors will be treated to some very good music and there will also be debates and lectures throughout the two day festival. So book your hotel in Aarhus and have some fun.
One of the more popular events in Denmark is the Viking Pageant which is held every summer. From June 1 to July 31 residents of Frederikssund which is due north of Copenhagen put on their best Viking costumes and re-enact Viking battles and other scenes from their history. There is much to see and do during this festival from replica villages to a Viking market. There are also plays done in Danish. If you want to see swordfights and what Viking life was like then this is the place to be.
Travel to Cuba
Cuba which is the alligator-shaped country island in the Caribbean has captivating beaches, proudly standing mountain ranges and tranquil plains. When you say Cuba, there is only one thing that it is famous for Cigar, Salsa music, Rhum and vacations. It is also synonymous to classic cars. It boasts of the 100% preserved wheels like the 1930 Cadillac V-16, the 1980 Daimler and a 1926 Rolls Royce.
One point of interest in Cuba is the old Havana that is being improved and turned into a fantastic museum showcasing things about the Spanish Empire gardening and architecture. Cuba is also famous because of the reference of the late great writer/sportsman Ernest Hemighway. The 5th level of the Hotel Ambos Mundos is being worked to become a tourist destination. This used to be Hemingway’s writing studio. You can actually sit and feel his presence in his typewriter, relax and enjoy the view from his balcony. See Pilar, Hemighway’s yacht docked in the harbor which has a mini version in his toy collection gallery. Havana (La Habana) offer to travelers a perfect selection of the most popular hotels in Cuba. When in Cuba, you get to enjoy not only the view and the history but also the rich dancing that it is known for. Enjoy the zest of pure Cuban drinks and music. The Tropicana dubbed as the “Paradise Under The Stars” sports rainforest scenery with attractive music coupled with talented Cuban men and women who makes a show of exotic dancing on a cobweb-shaped platform. Cuba is one of the busiest island countries in the Caribbean especially during the night. Music and dancing do not stop until the early dawn. Cuba’s ultimate beach destination is the Veradero which has dozens of beach resorts lining the shores. Xanadu is one attraction that you should not miss when you to Veradero.
Maine Festivals
Maine
June
Old Port Festival in Portland: music, parades, kiddie rides, dance and activities.
July
Yarmouth Clam Festival: crafts, seafood, performances and various artists.
August
Arts and Craft show in Cumberland: to admire Maine craftsmen.
September
County Fair in Cumberland: unmissable events like pumpkin contests, harness races, bull rides and a lot of music.
Fall Festival of Arts and Crafts in Westbrook with the Maine craftsmen.
Early December
Sparkle Week in Freeport: Carriage racing, Santa, carollers and hot cocoa for everyone.
Holiday Arts and Crafts Show in Portland with the Maine craftsmen.
Madrid – Iglesia de los Jerònimos
gothic
The Iglesia de los Jerònimos is the oldest of Madrid’s religious monuments that was built in far 1505. This Gothic style church was a place of prayer and spiritual retreats for Spanish kings and it was the site of royal weddings until King Alfonso XIII married Queen Victoria in 1878. Oaths and royal funerals also take place inside Iglesia de los Jerònimos.
One of the oldest buildings in Florence: the Baptistery
Florence
A visit to Florence Baptistery is a must for any tourist. Its balanced geometrial layout is really impressive as well as the integration of Romanesque and Paleochristian architecture, developed from the 11th to the 13th century, expressed by the white and green marble coming from Prato. In the Middle Ages it was believed a Roman pagan temple dedicated to Mars.
For sure Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti made the gilded bronze doors. The East door by Ghiberti is a masterpiece of the artist, combining the rhythms of the late gothic period to a new classical style and is known as “gate of Paradise”.
Above and on the doors the scuptures and basreliefs are also recognised as somee of the most important works made in Tuscany, one of them is due to Andrea Sansovino himself.
Byzantine artists from Venice and Tuscan masters like Cimabue, Giotto’s mentor, contributed to the interior decoration: the mosaics with guilded background in factdate back in a period between 1266 and early the 14th century. The inlaid froor itself dates back in a period that goes from the 12th to the early 13th century.
And, next to the Baptistery, there’s the Cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore, a masterpiece of the typical Italian gothic style, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, whose Dome project was realized about 70 years later by Filippo Brunelleschi.
The Baptistery, together with already the mentioned Dome and Giotto’s Bell tower are without any doubt the most strink views of Florence.
Discover London, Bayswater area
Bordering Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Bayswater, a most cosmopolitan area with one of London hotels highest concentration, houses today diverse populations, from Arabs, to Greeks, Brazilians, Americans and a substantial local population. Georgian stucco terraces and garden squares build up the biggest part of this London area. In the area, which once belonged to the Westminster Abbey, there were springs of excellent water supplied to a place called Baynard Watering. This is probbaly the origin of Bayswater in London, an abbreviation of the watering place.
Inside Los Angeles
Of all the places in the world that you can visit few are as diverse and exciting as Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and it is home to a very diverse population. From Hollywood, the center of the worldwide motion picture industry, to the world famous beaches there is something for everyone. Founded in 1781, the 12.8 million Angeleños speak an estimated 224 different languages, and come from all over the globe. Very few places in the world offer the variety and the possibilities of Los Angeles. Four star hotels in Los Angeles include the well known Four Seasons of Beverly Hills, Bonaventure Hotel, and of course the Biltmore. Stay for a night or a week and experience a whole new world.
The best place in Prague
Wenceslas Square is probably one of the most significant sights in the city of Prague. In the Middle Ages this huge rectangular shaped square was a horse market of Prague’s New Town, during the centuries though the importance of the square grew solidly and it became the most important place for gatherings and demonstrations. Since 1848 the square was renamed after the Patron Saint of Prague. It was in this square that the declaration of independence of Czechoslovakia was read in 1918, it was here that in 1969 the 21 years old student Jan Palach set himself on fire to demonstrate against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. At the southern border of the square you will find the National Art Gallery and, in the square itself, you will find a statue of Saint Wenceslas and a memorial to Jan Palach.
Your next travel? Athens!
Athens, althoug it became the capital of Greece only in 1834, the goddess of wisdom Athena (daughter of all-powerful Zeus) had long since been chosen as the guardian of the city by the greek Gods who gathered on Olympus. The toursit visiting today the capital still faces the hellemic history and mythology. No better place to feel this history than the Acropolis, with its panoramic view of the town and its temples dating back to the 5th century BC. Pericles, the general who had ruled Athens from 461-429 BC, had led an ambitious building program on this rocky plateau. The Parthenon thus became the heart of the ancient city and it stands now for Greece glorious past.
The traveler can only imagine today how it looked like (something like imagining the Colosseum at its maximum splendor).
Although the most photographed monument on the Acropolis is the Erechtheion with the beautiful six stone maidens, or Caryatidis, used in place of columns, it is on its southern slope that Greek tragedy was born and where Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides had their plays performed in front of some 17000 spectators. A fairly short walk leads the tourist to the Agora, or marketplace of ancient Greece, where men like Socrates met to debate and started the foundations of western philosophy.
Mostly touristy but still requiring a walk are two of the oldest inhabited areas of the town: Plaka and Monasteraki, with their souvenir shops and boutiques. Above all in the labyrinth of Plaka narrow streets plenty of cafés, restaurants and tavernas offer some relax to the tired tourist. who can still walk to Monasteraki flea market to navigate among old books, records, coins and many other items. A suggestion: bargaining is here a must.
After a full day of sightseeing, sit down once again for an ouzo (traditional licorice-flaavoured spirit) and watch the sunset on the highest point of Athens, the Likavittos Hill. Last but not least: there is no shortage of hotels in Athens, for every budget and every taste.
As part of the Ottoman empire for almost 400 years, one cannot but have a small strong ‘Turkish’ coffeee served in any coffee shop. But if you want to jump into a variety of designer boutiques, just go to Tsakalof Street. Here again just sit down at one of it’s many trendy cafés before starting your visit to the over 100 museums in Athens, from the National Archeological Museum to the Goulandris Museum and the National Gallery of Art.
A week-end in Warsaw
In order to get to know a captivating city like Warsaw a week-end surely is not enough; but we couldn’t stay longer. So we had to make a strict selection: what is worth seeing in Warsaw in 2 days?
Listed below you’ll find our selected sites for our first visit to the capital:
1. Warsaw Old Town with its romantic little streets going down to the Vistula River banks, nowadays the rebuilt Old Town well deserves the status of Cultural and Natural Heritage of the World Cultural;
2. the Royal Route connecting the Royal Castle of Warsaw to the summer Residence of King Jan III Sobieski (Wilanow) with palaces, churches and sumptuous government buildings. After this walk you will know the history of the town because it is really a journey through the centuries. The Royal Castle, for instance, was built in the 13th century and, in the course of the centuries, it provided the setting for many important historical events. Robbed and destroyed between 1939-1944, it was rebuilt around the surviving architectural structures from 1971 to1984. Or the Presidential Palace, built in the mid of the 17th century, now remodeled in a neo-classical style. Since 1994 it is the residence of the President of Poland. And still the baroque Church of the Holy Cross (1679/1696): the urn containing the heart of Chopin is walled in in its pillars;
3. the Warsaw Citadel, an imposing fortress dating back to the 19th century, one of the best preserved complexes of Poland’s military architecture;
4. The Palace of Culture and Science, still Poland’s highest building (it’s over 230 metres or 754 feet high) overlooks the town, a huge building housing over 3.000 rooms (conference rooms, exhibition areas, modern and confortable offices, practically a small town in itself);
5. The Powaski Cemetery, one of Europe’s oldest and largest necropolises (anyhow the oldest catholic cemetery in the town), created in 1790. You can see here many examples of sculptural and architectural art with important works of classicism, secession and modern art.There are also traces of the presence and cultural heritage of Jewish people who lived in Warsaw. Before World War II over 350.000 Jewish peoiple lived in Warsaw, thus making the city the second biggest Jewish community in Europe.
Make your hotel reservation in advance, you can book any Warsaw hotels, from a 5 star hotel to a quite bed and Breakfast.
This is the itinerary we have done, but much more is still to be discovered in Warsaw. We’ll have to go there for a second visit!
The Queen’s birthday in Amsterdam
It is on the occasion of the Queen’s birthday that Amsterdam becomes an even more special city. The daily routine is forgotten and celebrations start the day (evening) before, i.e. on April 29th, with concerts, shows and, of course, lots of beer…
On April 30th (the Queen’s actual birthday) the atmosphere of the town is joyful: a rather peculiar second-hand market is set up practically before all houses. What has become useless is on sale at rather interesting low prices.
The merrymaking for the Queen is really worth a visit to Amsterdam at the end of April. And if you want another “plus” do not forget that this is the period when tulips are in full blossom and the botanical garden at Keukenhof (some half an hour from Amsterdam) awaits you with its bikes to enjoy the multicolored fields (it is not the beer’s side-effect, they are indeed tulips).
But don’t forget, if you plan to visit Amsterdam in this special period of the year, to book your hotel in advance.
